The Flood

Since I'm not cool enough to take my own pictures, these have been "borrowed" from my facebook friends who are cooler than me and took pictures.  Especially Gina Prisbrey, her pictures rock:)

So it started raining at my house about 7-ish this morning.  We didn't think anything of it because it has been pouring here pretty regularly and giving us scares with our basement.  It rained all morning.  I went to hang out with Logan at work for a while and it still rained.  We went home for lunch and when we were done I was going to take Logan back to work and go grocery shopping.  When we left to take him back to Sunbrook, Sunset Blvd. was closed.  We thought the wash had flooded the road (again) and went down through the Santa Clara valley and made it there.  I was planning on going to Walmart to pick up a few things, but then I realized I didn't have my phone. In light of all the closures I thought I better go back and get my phone because I didn't want to risk having to navigate through some back roads to get home and get lost without a phone.  On my way back to the house the roads I had used to get to Sunbrook were now closed and I had to find another way back through the valley.  I made it.  Phew!  And I got my phone and tried to get back through the valley down to Dixie Drive so I could go shopping.  Now all the roads were closed and the police informed me that the valley had been evacuated.  I scoffed, I mean it wasn't even raining anymore.  But I obviously complied and went up into the Heights to get to Pioneer Parkway and into town.  On my way I drove past the little league ball fields by the Santa Clara Park.  They were full of water til you could only see a little of the fence poking out at the top.  Wow!  This was maybe about 1 in the afternoon.  It took me forever to get to Walmart.  As I drove I called Logan to complain about having to go around and told him that the valley had been evacuated.  He told me that they must be worried about the dike by the Middle School.  I was like, "What dike?"  I didn't even know it was there.

While I'm at Walmart I get a voicemail from the Santa Clara Emergency Response team.  I assume that I have now been evacuated.  Then I get to my car and the voicemail tells me that I have not been evacuated, but there has been a breach in the dike.  It said to go home (if I could get home) and stay home.  So I drive clear up and around again to get home and on the way pass by the ball fields again...only now they are empty.  Just a little water in the grass.  Apparently the dike really has been breached.  I knew it was bad, but seriously, I didn't know how bad.  I had no idea how much water that sucker was holding back.  I was obedient and I went home and stayed home.  Therefore I got interesting pictures of nothing;)

 Here is the flood.  Poor Dutchman's Gas Station!

 Inside Dutchman's Gas Station.  I think this picture came from their Facebook page.

And the monster "breach" in the dike.

Again, thanks to all those who I stole pictures from.  I think it's just Gina and Dutchman's.  All this went down about 1.5 blocks from my house, maybe less.  We are fine.  Thanks to all the many people who have called both Logan and I throughout the day to see if we are safe and dry.   Logan is down on Vineyard right now helping to dig people out.  Keep these poor folks in your prayers, it's going to be a long haul cleaning this up.  I just wish I wasn't 38 weeks pregnant and basically useless when it comes to shoveling mud.